September 21, 2015

More Love to Thee by Fernando Ortega

1. More love to thee, O Christ, more love to thee! Hear thou the prayer I make on bended knee. This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to thee; more love to thee, more love to thee! 2. Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest; now thee alone I seek, give what is best. This all my prayer shall be: More love, O Christ, to thee; more love to thee, more love to thee! 3. Let sorrow do its work, come grief and pain; sweet are thy messengers, sweet their refrain, when they can sing with me: More love, O Christ, to thee; more love to thee, more love to thee! 4. Then shall my latest breath whisper thy praise; this be the parting cry my heart shall raise; this still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ, to thee; more love to thee, more love to thee!

From the National Cathedral, to the outpost chapel; from the prairie church to the gospel service; from the stadium jumping with the bass to the whispered hymns; from the voices raised in Africa, on the Pacific Islands, in the Asian mountains, in the Norwegian fjords, in the American cities--

Lord we praise You! We love You! 

We ask for more of Your Spirit, that we might love You more. 

May we love You for who You are, and not what we get.

May we seek You alone--today.

And Lord, grow us up. Teach us to see even the hard times as steps closer to You.

We pray for our brothers and sisters around the world--

for our deployed soldiers in Afghanistan, Iraq, and in training around the world

for our sailors on the high seas

for our airmen and women zipping through the skies

for our veterans, making their way

for Pastor Saeed and others in Iran

for the middle-eastern Christians

for our siblings in North Korean prisons

on the run in Sudan

meeting in quiet rooms in China and Cuba and and and....

Lord, please guard their hearts.

Thank You for the strength they've already been given--beyond earthly understanding. 

Please give them Your peace

Please give them Your courage

Please turn their faces to You.

Hold them in Your arms.

Lord, may their captives see You and turn to You. 

Help the captives to forgive, even as You have.

Lord, keep them warm today

May they be able to find food and water

Heal their sicknesses

Quiet their nightmares

And we ask You Lord for the prisoners release

for the deployed to come home

for the refugees to find a place

for our veterans to find peace

We pray for those back home, missing their loved ones.

Please surround Pastor Saeeds' family.

May the veterans' families be able to help their hurting ones.

Lord, show us how we can help.

Remind us to pray, to fight the spiritual fight.

May we all take care of the body of Christ.

We pray for the Chief of Chaplains office.

We pray for the Commander in Chief's office.

We pray for those doing negotiations.

We pray for the relief workers like Samaritan's Purse.

To follow You Lord! To praise You! To love You more!

More to thee! Amen!